Method and apparatus for identifying devices on a network

Abstract

A method and apparatus for identifying devices on a network. A management device is configured to multicast a query message to request identification of network devices. Each of the network devices is configured to respond to the management device multicast message by transmitting a reply message containing identification information of the responding device. The management device includes a directory containing the identification information of the network devices. The network protocol can include the TCP/IP protocol, and the packets have a format complying with a bootstrap protocol.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A network system, comprising: 
       network devices; and  
       a management device configured to transmit a message to request identification of network devices, the message including a primary/secondary flag;  
       wherein each of the network devices is configured to respond to the transmitted management device message by transmitting a reply message containing identification information of the responding network device.  
     
     
       2. The network system of claim  1 , wherein the management device includes a directory containing the identification information of the network devices. 
     
     
       3. The network system of claim  1 , wherein the identification information includes the network device's network address. 
     
     
       4. The network system of claim  1 , wherein the management device is further configured to issue an acknowledge message to a responding network device. 
     
     
       5. The network system of claim  4 , wherein the management device is further configured to issue a secondary message to request identification of network devices from which the management device has not received a reply message. 
     
     
       6. The network system of claim  1 , further comprising a network connecting the management device and the network devices, the network carrying packets that comply with the TCP/IP protocol. 
     
     
       7. The network system of claim  1 , wherein a network device stores information about the management device, and wherein the network device is further configured to notify the management device of a problem in the network device using the management device information. 
     
     
       8. A computer system for use on a network having network devices, comprising: 
       a port coupled to the network; and  
       a processor coupled to the port and configured by a program to multicast a query message over the network, the query message including a primary indicator flag;  
       wherein network devices having a predetermined configuration respond to the query message by transmitting identification messages.  
     
     
       9. The computer system of claim  8 , further comprising a memory, the processor further being configured by the program to store information in the identification messages into a directory located in the memory. 
     
     
       10. The computer system of claim  8 , wherein the query message includes a bootstrap protocol packet. 
     
     
       11. The computer system of claim  10 , wherein the query message includes a predefined magic cookie that is separate from the standard magic cookie of the bootstrap protocol. 
     
     
       12. The computer system of claim  11 , wherein the predefined magic cookie includes a value 222.175.250.222. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus for identifying devices on a network, comprising: 
       a first application running on a first computer system having instructions to cause the first computer system to transmit a query message; and  
       second application running on a second computer system having instructions for causing the second computer system to respond to the query message by transmitting an identification message;  
       wherein the first application updates a directory of second computer systems based on the identification messages, and wherein the second application system updates a directory of first computer system responsive to the query message; and  
       wherein the query message includes a primary/secondary flag recognizable by the second application.  
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim  13 , wherein the query message complies with the bootstrap protocol. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim  14 , wherein the query message includes a special magic cookie separate from the standard magic cookie of the bootstrap protocol. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim  13 , wherein the directory of first computer systems stores identification information of the first computer system. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim  16 , wherein each of the second computer systems is configurable to: 
       read the identification information of the first computer system from the directory of first computer systems; and  
       notify the first computer system of a problem in the second computer system.  
     
     
       18. A computer system for use in a TCP/IP network having network devices, comprising: 
       a port coupled to the network;  
       a processor coupled to the port and configured to multicast a query message over the network, the query message including a primary/secondary flag,  
       wherein network devices responds to the query message by transmitting identification messages; and  
       a storage element storing a directory containing information from the identification messages.